Acts 27:18
And we being exceedingly tossed with a tempest, the next day they lightened the ship;
Original Language Analysis
χειμαζομένων
tossed with a tempest
G5492
χειμαζομένων
tossed with a tempest
Strong's:
G5492
Word #:
3 of 8
to storm, i.e., (passively) to labor under a gale
τῇ
G3588
τῇ
Strong's:
G3588
Word #:
5 of 8
the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in english idiom)
Cross References
Jonah 1:5Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.Acts 27:38And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, and cast out the wheat into the sea.Hebrews 12:1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,Acts 27:19And the third day we cast out with our own hands the tackling of the ship.
Historical Context
Grain ships carried 1,000+ tons of Egyptian wheat to feed Rome. Throwing cargo overboard represented staggering financial loss—the owner's ruin, the crew's unpaid voyage. Ancient ships sat lower in water when heavily laden, making them more vulnerable to swamping. Lightening the ship was a last-resort survival measure.
Questions for Reflection
- What 'cargo'—possessions, ambitions, securities—has God asked you to jettison in life's storms?
- How does progressive loss in trials prepare you to cling solely to God's promises?
Related Resources
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Analysis & Commentary
We being exceedingly tossed with a tempest—The Greek σφοδρῶς χειμαζομένων (sphodrōs cheimazomenōn) means 'violently storm-tossed,' conveying relentless battering. The next day they lightened the ship (ἐκβολὴν ἐποιοῦντο, ekbolēn epoiounto, 'they made a throwing out')—jettisoning cargo, likely the wheat destined for Rome. Economically catastrophic, this desperate measure reduced weight and raised the waterline. Spiritually symbolic: crisis forces us to jettison what we valued—success, security, possessions—to survive. The progression (vv. 18-19, 38) shows escalating desperation: cargo, then ship's tackle, then food supplies. Each loss strips away false securities until only God's word remains (27:25).